Careers

Your path begins here

Start on your path towards a brighter future filled with growth and opportunity. Where we lift each other up, push each other further, and take part in something bigger than ourselves - supported by a team committed to you and your success.

Explore Careers

Fresh opportunities

We proudly hire over 7,000 new employees a year across 6 states, including over 500 leadership positions. No matter where your passion lies, we believe in growth and advancement across all positions.

Developed for Success

We are committed to training and supporting you to become experts in your position by providing continuous learning and leadership opportunities to help you grow and advance in your career. We are as dedicated as you are to your own success.

Ignite Your Next Career

Building a new career starts one step at a time. Let us show you the first step.

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Positions We Offer

Our Crew Members are the heart and soul of our restaurants. From Service Assistants who prepare our delicious salsas and marinate our famous chicken, to Cashiers who provide customers with the warmest smile they’ll see all day, to our Grill Masters who dedicate themselves to grilling nothing short of the best pollo in town. Each and every one of our Crew Member careers plays a meaningful and critical role in the El Pollo Loco family.

Are you a natural born leader who thrives in the excitement and energy of the restaurant business? If so, then our Shift Leader career path is right for you. As a Shift Leader, you’ll have access to unique hands-on career opportunities and exceptional training that bring you to the forefront of your restaurant’s success.

Passion and energy, that’s what it takes to help manage a million-dollar business. If that interests you, then we want to help you launch your next career as an Assistant Manager for El Pollo Loco. You’ll be a leader with an opportunity for growth in the El Pollo Loco family.

If you’re a strong leader with a talent for creating extraordinary restaurant success, then look no further than our General Manager position. As a General Manager at El Pollo Loco, you can taste the rewards of managing a million-dollar-plus business while leading and coaching a team of up to 40 employees. From the people to the overall restaurant operations, you run the whole show.

El Pollo Loco Area Leaders are given immense responsibility and have a huge impact on the organization. As an Area Leader you will be responsible for developing extraordinary General Managers and creating great customer experiences. All while impacting growth across multiple El Pollo Loco restaurants. If you’re up for the challenge, the possibilities are endless!

Employee Benefits

We are proud to offer a full suite of health and retirement benefits to our full-time employees, with part-time employees becoming eligible after a certain period.

MEDICAL INSURANCE

DENTAL INSURANCE

VISION INSURANCE

401(K) PLAN

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS

BASIC LIFE AND AD&D / LONG TERM DISABILITY

PAID TIME OFF

Bonus Compensation

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Discounts of El Pollo Loco food

Discounts on theme parks, movie tickets, sports, hotels and more.

Employee referral bonuses.

Education reimbursement

Safety awards

Ongoing development

Payroll Direct Deposit

“

Our company is a great place to work because of the training, respect and open communication. And I love working with my manager because we’re encouraged to share ideas for making our team stronger and better. Overall, it’s a cool place and it doesn’t feel like work.

April Walker

-Restaurant Team member

FAQ

Restaurant

Employment applications for restaurant positions are accepted online only. From our website, select Careers from the main menu, choose a location, and select from the list of available positions. From here, you’ll be required to provide your background information and complete the online assessment (management positions only). This will help us find the position that’s right for you.

After completing all steps of the online application, you will be able to check your status by logging into your profile through the El Pollo Loco Careers Site and make sure the application status shows as "received".

The Area Leader or Restaurant Manager will review your application and contact you by e-mail or phone if your experience, availability and skills closely match the position specifications. During the interview process, you will have the opportunity to speak with at least two people who will work closely with you. For some management roles, you will be invited to spend a few hours in the restaurant to see if the job is the right fit for you. We will advise you of any next steps.

We welcome full-time and part-time Crew and Shift Leader applicants. Assistant Managers and General Managers are typically full-time and should be available for all shifts, but we will accommodate periodic schedule requests whenever possible.

Crew members are not required to have work experience in order to apply. Managers and Shift Leaders should have two years of leadership responsibility. Our training programs will give you the knowledge to succeed.

We’re an energetic, driven group of talented folks who have a passion for delivering exceptional results. We thrive on challenge, embrace innovation, and are fierce about preserving our reputation for offering the tastiest citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken. Perhaps most importantly, we have the best dedicated and genuine group of diverse individuals who love working here.

Absolutely! We value the success of each employee and provide training as part of the onboarding process and cross-training within a given department, whenever possible. New employees frequently spend at least a day in a restaurant to learn about the people and operations they support. We provide additional training as needed and offer occasional workshops and classes for our Corporate Support Center employees.

We have a track record of 40+ years of success and look forward to even greater milestones. Presently, we’re engaging in many strategies, including remodeling our restaurants, bringing healthful food alternatives to our customers, expanding our menu items, and leveraging technology to drive our business and better service our customers.

Fundamental to El Pollo Loco’s mission is an underlying pledge to give back to the communities we serve. We do this through El Pollo Loco Charities, a nonprofit 501 (c) charity created and powered by volunteer employees of El Pollo Loco to positively impact people in the neighborhoods and communities served by our restaurants. Our charities primarily serve nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to the health, well-being, education and guidance of children and their families in our communities.

Employment applications for Corporate Support Center positions are accepted online only. From our website, select Careers from the main menu, choose a location, and select from the list of available positions. From here, you’ll be required to provide your background information and complete the online application.

After completing all steps of the online application, you will be able to check your status by logging into your profile through the El Pollo Loco Careers Site and make sure the application status shows as “received”.

One of our responsive Talent Acquisition team members will contact you if your experience and skills closely match the position specifications. Initially you’ll be scheduled for a brief phone interview, and at the end of the conversation, the recruiter will advise you of any next steps, either verbally or in writing.

join our corporate familia

Our restaurants are only the tip of the flame. We have a robust and dedicated workforce specializing in everything from operations, to cuisine, to marketing. If you’re looking for a fast paced, innovative and welcoming workplace then a career with our Corporate Familia is right for you.